Zombies vs. Unicorns -An Anthology

 

It's a question as old as time itself: which is better, the zombie or the unicorn? In this anthology, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (unicorn and zombie, respectively), strong arguments are made for both sides in the form of short stories. Half of the stories portray the strengths--for good and evil--of unicorns and half show the good (and really, really bad-ass) side of zombies. Contributors include many bestselling teen authors, including Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan. This anthology will have everyone asking: Team Zombie or Team Unicorn?

 

 

This review I'll try and make as Non-spoilery as I can!! I'll just try to give some info about each story and my opinion!

So, I have been avoiding this book for some time now, because I was never into zombies. But resently I have started enjoying zombie stories a lot. The first zombie book I read was Warm Bodies. I can't say I liked it very much. Then my favourite...Something strange and deadly by Susan Dennard. This was the book that made me a fan of zombies. So that's how I decided to get myself this book. As for unicorns I haven't read anything about them, I think. I mean, everyone have heard of unicorns, but how many people can say they have read books about them.

The Highest Justice by Garht Nix

The first story, The Highest Justice” by Garth Nix, is set in some kind of medieval world and it's about a princess helping her zombie mother with the help of a unicorn. The mother wants to see her killer one more time. I liked this one. I always liked stories set in medieval-like worlds. But I must say from all the unicorn stories this one was sticking with the image of a unicorn everybody knows the most. Oh, and a thing I loved was this young guard who can see the Unicorn and, you know, that mean he is a virgin. I thought he had a crush on the princess. It was so sweet! So I think I give this story 5 stars!

 

Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Alaya Dawn

The second story, “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Alaya Dawn, is about a gay zombie! Yes, you read it right! A gay zombie. It was an interesting twist, but I'm not very fond of the ending. Well, he wasn't technically a zombie. He was diseased, but they stopped the disease before it spread in his brain. So now he is stuck in this phase between zombie and human. And he likes this boy whose father is a zombie hunter! Good choice, bro! Very good choice! Why don't zombies get happy endings?

“Purity Test” by Naomi Novik

Moving on! In “Purity Test” by Naomi Novik, a drunken woman asleep on a park bench finds herself awakened and recruited by a unicorn to save many baby unicorns from an evil wizard. This wizard however looked and behaved like a normal middle-aged man. But, yeah, Miss Novik, say he was a wizard! And also the author is really trying to make the story funny. Achiving nothing! So I wasn't thrilled with this story. It was boring.

 

“Bourgainvillea” by Carrie Ryan

This is my favourite zombie story in this book. I haven't read The Forest of Hands and Teeth, but I have heard that this story is set in the same world. I really don't have much to say about it. It's a story about suvival  for me and that's why Iza did what she did in the end. How could she? I mean, I totally get it. But if I was to make this story into a book I would have remade this moment. SO I can make a little romance between Iza and the boy/the pirate. And why did the author didn't mention his name? He was an important part of the story.  I would love to read this made into a book.

“A Thousand Flowers” by Margo Lanagan

About “A Thousand Flowers” by Margo Lanagan I really have nothing to say. Everything got kind of blurry at some point so I just skipped to the next story! I actually stopped reading after the main hero was in court acused of raping the princess.

 “The Children of the Revolution“ by Maureen Johnson

Maureen Johnson’s “The Children of the Revolution" made me very sad. It's about this girl who is hired by a rich actress to take care of five strange children. And it's a zombie story. So you can guess what happens! Her boyfriend was such a...such a...moron. I just hated him! Just dumping her in that farm with no money and...UGH! I don't know why, but this story reminded me of The Turning. The ending was so..so...Well I can't say what! Sad? Again, zombies don't get a happy ending!

 

“The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn” by Diana Peterfreund

I loved this story. I love everything Diana Peterfreund writes anyway and after reading this story I'm going to read her Killer unicorns series for sure! It's about a girl who is raised in a family that thinks unicorns are demons. She has the skills of a unicorn slayer, but when she has to kill a baby unicorn, she can't. So she starts to take care for it. There was, of course, a dash of romance which I loved. And the ending was great too. So I guess this is my second favourite story about unicorns in this book.

“Princess Prettypants"by Meg Cabot

This was a very funny teenage story about a girl who gets a unicorn for her birthday. And there is this party and she kicks some ass with her unicorn. And I really ahould read more Meg Cabot if all the stuff she writes is that good. I think that was the most enjoyable story about unicors in this book!

“Cold Hands” by Cassandra Clare

I expected more from “Cold Hands” by Cassandra Clare. I love Cassandra Clare. SHe is one of my favourite authors,  but I would advice her not to write any zombie stories. Her zombies were much like vampires. And there is something in the story that's bothering me. Maybe it's the ending. It was kind of happy, but I didn't like it. I don't know! I sort of have the feeling that the main heroine's boyfriend stopped loving her after he turned into a zombie. And he changed a lot. She said it herself. But this last sentence really annoyed me. Isn't she even a bit bothered that “the love of her life“ is a zombie! Are the cold hands really her only problem? I'll never understand people who are in love!

 

“The Third Virgin” by Kathleen Duey

“The Third Virgin” by Kathleen Duey was a bit of sad too. It's about a unicorn addicted to the sensation of weighing a person’s life — to heal or to kill. The unicorn want to die and was searching for a virgin to kill it. It's the only story in this book from a unicorn's perspective. And the idea is good, but as I already said it made me sad!

 

“Prom Night” by Libba Bray

And last, but not least “Prom Night” by Libba Bray. I like Libba Bray's books and I was not disappointed by this story! It's a bittersweet story about the world after apocalypse and there are only teenagares left. I liked this story and particulary the ending, but it's not for everyone's taste.

 

Zombies vs. Unicorns

And finally the big question: Team Zombies or Team Unicorns? I think I choose....both. Yes, both! I'm a zombie unicorn. Zombiecorn! Or a unicorn zombie. Unibie! I liked both types of stories.
I loved the dialogues between Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier inbetween the stories talking about zombies and unicorns.

So I recommend this book to zombie fans and Unicorn fans and everyone who wants to read it! Don't give up if a story is boring. Just go on. Oh, and one more thing. I skiped Scott Westeerfiel's story, becuse I didn't have much to say about it!